Speedometer installation

[BackyardKrazy]

Hey guys, just restoring my bass boat over the winter and i bought all new gauges. The boat never had a working speedometer when I bought it, and I want to of course install one. I am running a 1989 Force 125, the engine works great so far.

I'm wondering if there's a factory spot in the lower part of the engine to install the pickup tube for a speedometer? I would like to stay away from screwing a pickup to the transom, only because at high speed it'll probably stop reading, definitely while turning one way. The depth finder does, I would say there's not much boat left in the water.

If there's no factory spot can one be fabricated in? I have to repair the skeg anyways, and pull the lower section off to replace the water pump.

I can attach photos tomorrow, if that helps.

Thanks Guys

 

[pnwboat]

There may be a hollow area in the upper front of the lower unit that you might be able to do so. This is the way the later model Mercury lower units on the Force motors did it from 1995 and later.

I installed my speedometer pickup tube in the middle of the transom where it is the lowest part in the water and it reads fine even when turning, but then again I don't have a bass boat. I also have a GPS fish/depth finder that also indicates speed.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Why do you think a lot of tube will stop working at speed? You obviously don't understand how they work

 

[roscoe]

Save yourself the work.
Get something with a gps on it.
Either a handheld gps, chart plotter, fish finder combo, or a smart phone.

Then you will have a speedometer and it will be accurate at all speeds.

 

[redneck joe]

Yeah download one of many free aps to your phone.

 

[jerryjerry05]

No place on an older Force for a pickup.
The GPS is the best way to go,
Or a depth finder with the paddle wheel on the transducer(they still make them??)
You can get a fancy stainless pitot tube that's longer and sets deeper in the water if the short one doesn't work.
​Livorsi Marine offers one. About $40